Park

The federal government has extended the use of the Moss Park armoury as an emergency shelter to fill in a gap left by an evolving plan with the province and city to deal with a shelter capacity crisis.Mayor John Tory was visited in his city hall office Wednesday by federal defence minister Harjit Sajjan, who flew in to Toronto en route to a cabinet retreat in London, Ont., to discuss the need to keep the armoury open until Jan. 29. They made that announcement just outside the mayor’s office.“When it comes to the Canadian Armed Forces, there is a system in place that we want to make sure that we have a proper response to serve Canadians,” Sajjan told reporters summoned just minutes earlier. “We will be there for a time of need for Canadians, but we have to do it in a manner that we make sure we use the right resources.”The minister also said they would not be looking at recovering any costs from the city. … [Read more...] about Moss Park armoury to remain open as shelter until Jan. 29

The federal government has extended the use of the Moss Park armoury as an emergency shelter to fill in a gap left by an evolving plan with the province and city to deal with a shelter capacity crisis.Mayor John Tory was visited in his city hall office on Wednesday by federal defence minister Harjit Sajjan, who flew in from a cabinet retreat in London, Ont. to discuss the need to keep the armoury open until Jan. 29. They made that announcement just outside the mayor’s office.“When it comes to the Canadian Armed Forces, there is a system in place that we want to make sure that we have a proper response to serve Canadians,” Sajjan told reporters summoned just minutes earlier. “We will be there for a time of need for Canadians, but we have to do it in a manner that we make sure we use the right resources.”The minister also said they would not be looking at recovering any costs from the city. … [Read more...] about Moss Park armoury will remain open as a shelter until Jan. 29

26 people found warmth from Toronto’s icy grip at Moss Park armoury overnight on Saturday.After several weeks of demands to open the city armouries, the Moss Park armoury was opened as an extra shelter space at 7 p.m. Saturday. Moss Park has capacity for 100 people, the City said in a news release Sunday, which updated the number of people who used city warming centres and shelters Saturday night. It was initially planned that the armoury would open Monday, but it was used two days earlier than anticipated. Toronto Mayor John Tory said he decided to use the armoury after he was warned that the Better Living Centre drop-in shelter could soon hit capacity in the wake of the extreme cold that gripped the city, although the mayor initially voted against using the armouries as shelters about a month earlier. … [Read more...] about 26 people sheltered at Moss Park armoury Saturday night

With record-breaking temperatures still hanging over Toronto, the Moss Park Armoury has opened as an emergency shelter for the homeless — two days earlier than expected but weeks after activists first demanded it. “While all of us in public service can face criticism as we work to address big, complex problems, I also want to acknowledge . . . (the) capable, fast-moving, responsive, caring work” of city staff responding to the urgent situation, Mayor John Tory told reporters at city hall Saturday as he announced the respite centre’s 7 p.m. opening.The move came a month after Tory and a majority of council voted against a motion to ask the federal government to open the armouries at Moss Park and Fort York for use as emergency shelters, a tactic used in the past. The mayor faced criticism for his decision.Tory said Friday he now supports the use of armouries because city staff warned him that a temporary shelter opened recently in the Better Living Centre at … [Read more...] about Moss Park Armoury opens doors as emergency shelter for homeless

The Moss Park armoury will be opened as an emergency shelter starting Saturday at 7 p.m., Mayor John Tory confirmed in a press conference. The city initially announced that the site would be opened Monday. The decision to open the armoury came a month after Tory voted alongside 24 city councillors against a motion to open the facilities, opting instead to add “spaces” to the Better Living Centre. Advocates for the homeless, as well as several city councillors, have urged the city to open the armouries as cold-weather relief. Tory told reporters Saturday that the city “carefully considered the advice of (their) staff” while determining whether the armouries should be opened. The Mayor said that a request was initially made to have the armouries available for 24-hours a day, through until April. Instead, the Government of Canada has approved a two-week period for the use of the Moss Park armoury. … [Read more...] about Moss Park Armoury to be open Saturday as winter respite